Form Il 482-0798 - Rabies Submission Form (Page 2 of 2) in pdf

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF RABIES SPECIMENS

Specimen Collection and Removal of Head and Brain

Submit only the head of ALL SKUNKS and other suspect animals.

Submit only the entire brain from large animals (e.g., horse) Bovine, deer, elk or ovine must be sent to Dept. of Agriculture.

It is acceptable to submit the whole carcass from animals weighing less than 2 pounds (e.g., bat).

Live animals will not be accepted under any condition.

Isolate and retain the carcasses of rabies suspects until testing is completed and the report is obtained.

Head/brain removal must be performed by individuals who are immunized against rabies and trained in the proper precautions to avoid

exposure, such as use of personal protection equipment.

Clean and disinfect all instruments used for head removal after each use.

For advice on testing or not testing an animal, please contact your local health department (if not available, please call 217-782-2016).



Healthy domestic animals that have not exposed a person or owned animal will not be tested.



Animals showing signs and symptoms of rabies should be tested, even if an exposure did not occur.



Submission of biting or non-biting rodents (squirrels, mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, etc.) or rabbits is discouraged unless unusual

circumstances surround the bite.



Animals that have bitten either a person or owned animal can be tested. Healthy dogs, cats or ferrets that bite a person or owned animal

after being provoked can be confined for 10 days rather than be tested.



Any bat that may have exposed a person or owned animal should be tested even if a bite is not known to have occurred (e.g., found in a

room with an infant or sleeping, intoxicated or otherwise incapacitated person).



Scratches alone have not been documented to transmit rabies; if wound(s) could have been made by scratches and/or bites, and the animal

is otherwise considered a candidate for testing, or if the scratches were made by a bat, submit the animal for testing.

Rabies Submission Form: Provide all information requested on the form, if available. Be certain that a complete history accompanies each

specimen submitted (see reverse side). Indicate on the submission form if more than one animal is submitted. Mark individual specimens with

the same identification (e.g., #3 of 5 total animals submitted). The date of collection indicates the date the animal died, was killed, or was found

dead.

Packaging and Transportation

Place the specimen in a primary container such as a sealed plastic bag. Bats and other small animals must be placed inside a clear zip-lock bag

or equivalent. Place the primary container in a watertight secondary container with sufficient absorbent material to assure complete absorption

if leakage should occur. If plastic bags are used, please TRIPLE bag each specimen. Place the test requisition on the outside of the secondary

container. Package forms so that they remain clean.

Place the secondary container inside a rigid outer container with sufficient cold packs to maintain refrigeration temperatures. The minimum

volume of cold packs surrounding the specimen is double the size of the specimen (never use ice cubes).

Ample insulation surrounding the specimen and cold packs is essential (e.g., styrofoam packing material or newspaper).

Do not freeze specimens unless the specimen is held over a long weekend (weekend + holiday) or if the animal is decomposed. Cold, not frozen

is the general rule. Do not package rabies specimens with dry ice since dry ice may freeze the specimens.

Pack rabies specimens separately from other types of laboratory specimens (even if they are going to the same lab).

6. Messenger/Courier by ground transport Place the secondary container and test requisition in the shipping container. The

shipping container must be rigid such as a cooler and labeled with the UN 3373 Biological Substance Category B marking. Close

securely. Styrofoam coolers must be placed in a cardboard box.

7. Commercial carrier by ground/air transport Place the secondary container and test requisition in the shipping container.

Label the outer shipping container with the appropriate Illinois Department of Public Health laboratory address. Complete the

return address section to include the name of the person shipping the package, business name and address and a business phone number.

The shipping container must include the UN3373 Biological Substance Category B marking.

Do not ship specimens on Fridays or the day before

a state holiday. Do not ship on Thursdays unless sent

You as the shipper, not the transport company, are responsible for the

by guaranteed, overnight delivery.

shipment until the package reaches its destination.

Specimens held by a commercial carrier over a weekend

are frequently received in various stages of decomposition that may preclude the possibility of reliable test results. In case of emergency, please

notify the appropriate laboratory during working hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m, Monday through Friday. For an after-hours emergency, notify the

Laboratory Duty Officer by calling IEMA 217-782-7860.

Send specimens by the most expeditious means available, preferably by direct messenger. However, if a commercial carrier is used, the shipper

is responsible for conforming to any special packaging requirements of the carrier.

10. The IDPH has no pickup and delivery service and assumes no responsibility for any specimen until it is received and identified.

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORIES

Illinois Department of Public Health

Division of Laboratories

1155 South Oakland Avenue

2121 W. Taylor Street

825 N. Rutledge Street

P.O. Box 2797

Chicago, IL 60612

P.O. Box 19435

Carbondale, IL 62901

312-793-4746

Springfield, IL 62702

618-457-5131

217-782-6562

Animal testing other than for rabies is not performed by the Illinois Department of Public Health laboratories.

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF AG LABORATORY

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LABORATORY

Animal Disease Laboratory

Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, Room 1137, P.O. Box U

2100 S. Lake Storey Road

2001 South Lincoln Avenue

Galesburg, IL 61401

Urbana, IL 61802

309-344-2451

217-333-1620

(A fee may be charged for rabies testing at the Department of Agriculture and U of I. Please call those agencies to discuss cost.)

Form Il 482-0798 - Rabies Submission Form Page 2

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